//------------------------------// // And the game begins // Story: The Equestrian Gourmet // by Gamel_Lightshow //------------------------------// Richard folds the phone down finally pulling himself from the message swallowing a held breath before breathing again. He glances around to see if anyone else noticed what has happened before turning away from the sea of faces and putting the now sacred object away. This contact means everything to him, but why wouldn't they use the chat system? Maybe it's being monitored by something or another? Or better yet, they probably figured his reaction and planned ahead so he isn't just poking at the air in erratic motions. Richard's mind slips into a processing mindset as he wonders what it would be like to be with more of his kind. So far that makes him, the one other person, and his friend that he's been talking to through the weeks. This new development leads him to think there may be even more out there either out of range or ignorant to others being out in the world. Perhaps he should ask Irvine and the others more about their thoughts before he starts laying down his own theories. Speaking of the fellow, he just kind of left without giving Richard any type of location to go to, most likely hoping that he would follow him immediately without becoming lost in his own thoughts and becoming paralyzed in his own thoughts. Now out of his own thoughts, he quickly looks for his body... shape? What was Irvine? Was he a pony? A Griffin? Was he even real? What color was he? Why can't he seem to remember anything about Irvine? Richard pulls out the phone to find the same message there along with a new one underneath it once opened. It first states he thinks too much followed by directions to where the mysterious fellow and hopefully his friend will be waiting for him. He can't help but wonder how they possibly met. As far as he can tell, he didn't show up first possibly. Or if he did, they have a much better grasp of everything than he does. Well, as a simple chief with only the experience of traveling for work, anything is possible outside of his knowledge. He considers whether or not he should just leave or try to make up an excuse so he can have an alibi for why he's gone for so long. He scans the crowd over to spot either Sea Foam, Rarity, or Twilight so they can let everyone know he'll be out for a while in case more of them wish to come ask him questions and the sorts. So far the night has been tame, but he doubts that all of these drinks are non-alcoholic. Or... can they even digest something like that? Questions for later. After a while, he spots Sea Foam moving away from a group of Deers and heading towards the all Vegan table. Richard B-lines for him and meets him at the table. "Hey buddy, I need a favor." "Oh? What kind of favor do you need? I feel like I owe you after everything I've forced you into." "You're right, and you can pay it back by announcing to anyone that asks that I've retired to my room after falling ill." Sea Foam looks Richard up and down, "You look fine to me." "Just do it. Or you lose a chef." "You drive a hard bargain." Sea Foam states with a nod of his head before moving to pile plates of greens and vegetables, "I'll see what I can do. I'll probably play it up some ya know. Maybe make everyone think you're a zombie and the apocalypse is upon us." "Uh huh." Richard says moving away from the Pony, "You know, I and you have to have a really long talk about the crazy stuff you say." "Crazy? I'll have you know I'm probably the sanest between the two of us." "I guess I'll have to really go see a doctor then." "Oh, so you're not sick after all?" With that Richard makes his way from the crowd and out into the main foyer Celestia is busying herself talking to some very important looking members of the other tribes. Richard says important looking cause they all have the common trait of being bigger than the others by a couple of feet or so and have very distinct differences about all of them to set them away from getting lost in crowds. In fact, that minotaur fellow has red eyes and muscles that would make a god jealous. Putting his ogling of the different possible leaders of the races to the side, he quickly makes his way past them and into one of the many hallways that seem to stretch on forever till you actually need to be someplace of some type of importance or in Richard's care an area that isn't off limits. He soon finds himself getting more and more anxious while checking his phone to make sure he's still on the right path and not about to walk into a broom closet or some other unhelpful room. They're not the best directions, but someone has been doing their research on the place. Or lurking around enough and already has a feel for the place. One of them might be a sneak and able to do such a task like being able to turn invisible. That is if all of them have a menu like him as well as abilities that they can level and use. For all he knows he could've got chaffed by a God he never prayed to and this is the punishment. Be it not a terrible one, but one he is not comfortable with at all. He preferred his normal life more than this one despite the fun points during all of this mess. He's just saying that if he was cursed to be a chef for the rest of his life, he would like to get paid for it. He begins to think on what everyone's stories will be like if they have one. Perhaps there will be a beautiful woman there that likes chefs. Hopeful thinking, but not likely. Though he can't help but think about everything that they've probably left behind and such. Did they also wake up in graves, or was he just the butt of the joke. Then there's the Irvine fellow. His thoughts from earlier resurface as he thinks of how they managed to recruit... whatever Irvine was. Perhaps that's just another one of Richard's own in disguise. Or what if it's an illusion? Well, that just brings up the question of whether everything is an illusion and he's starting to go a little bit more than just stir crazy. He can't help but think of that one movie where they were all plugged into a giant machine and there was like five or four other movies about it. It's on the tip of his tongue but just can't pull it forward before a sudden pain strikes his head. It's not like getting hit, but more along the line of something striking his head from the inside. Its probably from thinking too much like his mysterious direction giver said earlier. Richard's steps slowly come to a stop as his face become confused coming close to the last door of the hall as a thought comes clear through his mind overpowering any other thoughts or pain. He looks down at the phone and asks aloud, "But how would he know that?" Another sharp pain hits the inside of his mind. He begins thinking that something is very wrong as he grabs the side of his head. He winces as the stabbing pain continues as part of him just wants to forget he thought about it and the other half yelling at him to use his god damn brain right now before its too late. Because something is obviously wrong here. The phone buzzes angrily over and over again while messages pop up on his phone telling him to stop thinking so much and to walk through the door he has stopped in front of. "Shit... Where the hell did I even walk to?" He says his hand slowly going towards the door as he feet seem to refuse against his will of not walking to the door. If his friend had come here, wouldn't they have sent a message beforehand to let him know they were coming with someone? After all, they talked this morning and nothing seemed to be off of the sorts. They seemed perfectly content wherever they were, so why would they come out this way unless there was something happening? Or perhaps they just wanted to visit. The door opens through a forced will of not his own and he finds himself walking outside. The phone slowly dissolves out of his hand as he looks up to see the sky slowly cracking and opening above him. The crack becoming massive far back behind him where the party should be taking part. The force of will seems to break off of him as he drops to his knees shaking and clutching his throbbing head. The now liquid phone slithers off back into the building leaving him weak of will. "Oh fuck..." He mutters over and over again attempting to stand but being met by repeated failures of falling back to his knees. He knew something was wrong when he could venture so far without being sent back to the same place again, but he didn't think it through with whatever got into his mind. After the sixth attempt, he manages to stand and slowly force himself back inside and down the hall. From far away he can hear screaming and quickly pulls up his menus to find he has been bombarded by messages from his one and only friend. He shifts through them quickly to find that something of the same thing was happening where they were but they went stalking after some weird figure that led them to a hole in the ground where the monsters of black ickiness of different sizes and shapes began pouring out and killing animals and destroying the nature all around them. Richard speeds up into a run trying to make it back to the party knowing that the picture of the crack of the sky looks a lot like his own. And if it is, it means that everyone at the party is in grave danger. He starts typing into the chat window sending messages of help and asking if they're okay. "Fuck me... I'm a god, damn chef! What the hell am I supposed to do anyway!" He says constantly running down the hall until he feels a wave of something run over him. He quickly finds himself running past very familiar kitchen doors and quickly skids to a stop knowing whatever magic Celestia put on him has finally turned back on. That means whatever is doing this nullifying magic and effect thinking and actions. Which is not a good thing at all for multiple reasons. He pushes open the kitchen door to find something he never thought he would ever see. Creatures of the night jumping over counters and sinking teeth and claws into the flesh and fur of pony chefs and staff ripping away there lives and splattering blood like tomato sauce over cabinets, counters, and walls. Richard feels his breath picking up and his heart hammering in his chest as he watches the scene unfold in front of him. Some of the staff fights back throwing knives and hitting the creatures back with pans only stunning them for short times before they lurch forward again to kill and maim. Some are eating the fallen far behind their brothers and sisters that still continue to slay the Ponies. Richard slowly backs out and takes off down the hall trying to get away from the madness and reach somewhere safe. Obviously, the guards would be a safe choice. He turns the corner to find unicorns and guards blasting away the creatures while yelling out orders and commands to people freaking out and passing out. It's then that he notices that the guards are having an actual effect on the creatures depleting there health bars that Richard just now noticed they have. "Human! Celestia wants to see you, now!" Someone yells beside him pushing at his legs and back. Richard nods his head lifelessly as he's shoved and dragged along by one of the many guards leading him to the Alicorn. He can't help but think that this is his fault in some way. That because he left, things decided to fall apart where he couldn't do anything to warn anyone. Perhaps there was a warning at some point, but he never noticed it. "What do you mean you don't know!" Rainbowdash yells getting right into Richard's face causing him to wince back and look away. "I mean what I mean," Richard says not wanting to look at them. He's seen those faces before and he doesn't want to see them again. But they're better than the flashes of horror he had to endure to make it back here. Even locked away where they are now, he can still hear the screaming like its happening beside him. He was brought into a room with bearers of the Elements of Harmony, Celestia, Luna, and the other leaders of the tribes. Their emotions range from sorrow, pain, and anger. The one that's messing with him the most is Celestia's abstained reaction, but her eyes say it all. Whether or not they show her true emotion is another thing. "You better start making sense before I start beating in your face!" Rainbowdash says dropping to the ground in a low predator like stance. "That's enough Loyalty," Luna speaks out stepping forward towards Richard. Rainbowdash gives one last angry look towards him before backing away and making her way to Fluttershy who has been crying into her mane and tail for quite a long time. Probably even longer than Richard has been in this room with them. It's only now that he notices it. "I know you are hiding something from us. I allowed Celestia to play her game, but now it is the time we take my approach." Luna says glaring down at him. Luna grabs Richard by his collar and yanks him to his knees to become eye level with one another. Despite not looking, he can feel her hatred and a dangerous cold seeping into his body. She slams him against the wall hard before yanking him back under her glare, "Look at us welp!" Richard slowly looks up to meet her eyes and winces back at how much emotion they show. "You have this one chance to tell us what you know before I toss you to the guards. There is more than one way of gaining information and most of them are not gentle." "L-Luna, don't you thi-" "Stay out of this Twilight. These are things you must learn as well." Luna says never breaking her glare to address Twilight's concern. "I've written down what I know," Richard says reaching out towards his inventory tab. After switching he reaches forward and suddenly his journal appears. It's snatched from his glow by a yellow aura and floats of to Celestia who scans the pages with a very indifferent face. She reacts to none of the information and Luna continues to hold him up by his collar never breaking her gaze from him. "I see." Celestia closing the journal soon after scanning a few of the pages, or was it all the pages, "We certainly have much to talk about. And I want to know everything regarding your friend and all this about menus. If everything is true than you are just like the ones before. They wouldn't talk much about this, but now I'm demanding answers as one of the leaders of my people." "Of course, Princess. I never knew anything like this would happen. If I had I would've... I don't know. I don't know anything." Richard says becoming more slack at helpless and useless he currently is. He's attempted to make his power work offensively or unlock some kind of thing, but nothing to avail. He doesn't have any skills that could help them fight, other than what the food can do. Even then, what more is he supposed to do? Not like he could make something right now for them. Perhaps if he had stored food in his inventory. A bunch of ifs and not a lot of doing. Richard berates himself for being this way. Always playing it too carefully. Maybe not careful enough. "Twilight, I assume you and your friends are willing to help solve the problem here?" "Of course Princess!" Twilight says followed by confirmation from the others as Fluttershy slowly comes down from her despair riddled cries, "The Elements of Harmony are at your disposal!" "Good. Now Richard, if this is all true than it is imperative that we get you to the kitchen area. Or a place with raw ingredients. I doubt the road to the kitchens is anything but safe, so I'll send you to the storage area near the barracks. I need you to get to work making the guards stronger to help push back this wave of evil with Twilight and her friends." "Anything to begin to help with what I've brought forth." "I understand you feel deep remorse but know that I believe that you have no idea where these creatures have come from. But you and they are connected, that much I can see." Celestia moves towards generals who are yelling orders and relaying information back and forth, "General Wild Ace, I need you to send some of your best soldiers with Twilight." "Of course your highness!" Wild Ace says saluting before yelling out orders sending four soldiers over to stand at the ready dressed in golden armor with gray and brown fur. "Now go with our blessing," Celestia says referring to the group. Luna lets go of Richard and moves to his sister's side. Richard slowly gets up and looks towards the group then begins to trot off. A sigh leaves his mouth before he too follows behind.